Written Answers Thursday 9 December 2010

Scottish Executive

Benefits

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been informed of the estimated number of people on incapacity benefit or employment support allowance who will be required to seek work under the welfare reform proposals and, if so, what the impact of this will be on the Scottish economy.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has been informed that an estimated 175,000 current Incapacity Benefit customers will be reassessed at a rate of approximately 1,100 per week. The Department for Work and Pensions estimate that 23 per cent will be deemed fit for work, 58 per cent will be moved into the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) of Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and 19 per cent will go into the support group of ESA and will not be required to actively seek work. An estimated 800 per month of current ESA claimants are moving onto the WRAG and are required to seek work.

  The Scottish Government has not estimated the impact of these changes on the Scottish Economy as they will be dependent on the labour market conditions at the time of transferral. However, it is our intention to monitor the overall impact of the UK Government’s welfare reform package on Scotland’s labour market.

Cancer

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered creating a cancer drugs fund to fund or subsidise treatments for patients with rare cancers that have been rejected by the Scottish Medicines Consortium on grounds of cost effectiveness.

Nicola Sturgeon: Scotland has robust, equitable and transparent arrangements for the introduction of newly licensed clinically and cost-effective medicines to treat all conditions, including those to treat rare cancers. The arrangements include opportunities at local level for clinically led consideration of medicines for individual patients in certain circumstances.

  The Scottish Government will give due consideration to the Department of Health cancer drugs fund consultation findings once they are published.

  The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) may, in addition to the standard assessment of clinical and cost-effectiveness, apply modifiers which consider other additional factors. Subject to meeting certain criteria, this can facilitate acceptance of a medicine notwithstanding the economic evidence provided. Full details on SMC policies can be found on the SMC website: http://www.scottishmedicines.org.uk/smc/3863.21.24.html.

Carers

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Barnett consequentials for the recently announced additional £400 million for short breaks for carers in England will be reflected in the Scottish budget.

Shona Robison: The £400 million announced for short breaks in England between 2011 and 2015 follows the overall UK Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) decisions. We understand that the funding, which will not be ring-fenced, will be allocated to Primary Care Trusts.

  The Scottish Government received consequentials from the UK CSR in the normal way, which were reflected in Scotland’s draft budget. The £400 million is not new money over and above the decisions made during the CSR.

Carers

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it will do to prevent Scotland falling behind in short breaks provision following the announcement of an additional £400 million for short breaks in England.

Shona Robison: We are taking action on a number of fronts. The Carers Strategy , published in July, contains a number of different actions to help promote the development of flexible, personalised short breaks services. I announced £1 million for short breaks in 2010-11, which we have rolled forward, resulting in £5 million in total for short breaks between 2010 and 2015. This is being allocated to the National Carers Organisations, who have now announced a Short Breaks Fund to help support and sustain carers and young carers. Subject to parliamentary approval of the draft budget, there will also be £2 million in 2011-12 for short breaks for families with severely disabled children and £5 million to support carers and young carers through the Carer Information Strategies.

  As part of the concordat commitment to deliver an extra 10,000 respite weeks, we provided local authorities with £2.82 million in 2010-11. This £2.82 million, reduced by the 2.6% applying to total local authority spending, will be in the overall local government settlement to councils. Councils will be required to agree to deliver certain commitments, including "continuing to work with the Scottish Government towards implementation of the Carers and Young Carers Strategy at local level, including the maintenance of an extra 10,000 weeks respite care."

  Local authorities’ net revenue expenditure on support for carers, including respite care, was £134.74 million in 2008-09.

  There are provisions in the draft Self-directed Support Bill for support to carers, which might include respite. Our proposals will be subject to consultation that will take place before the end of 2010.

  In recognition of the pressures on the health and social care system in a challenging fiscal climate, the Scottish Government has allocated £70 million in 2011-12 within the NHS budget to a Change Fund for NHS boards and partner local authorities to redesign services to support the delivery of new approaches to improved quality and outcomes. By ensuring that older people remain independent in their own homes, health boards and local authorities will be able to focus on reducing unnecessary hospital admissions and speeding discharge after a crisis. This will result in better outcomes for older people and ease the pressure on acute hospital provision. Given the vital role performed by carers, we expect local partnerships to invest an appropriate proportion of their change fund allocation in provision that specifically supports carers.

  The announcement of £400 million for short breaks in England over four years does not mean that Scotland will fall behind in short breaks provision. Our own plans, with investment, are robust.

Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-36670 by Kenny MacAskill on 25 October 2010, when it anticipates section 17 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 will be commenced.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36669 on 8 November 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Diabetes

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what savings each NHS board has made by withdrawing testing strips for type 2 diabetes.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of savings generated by the withdrawal of testing strips for type 2 diabetes is being reinvested in insulin pump therapy in each NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not centrally held.

  Questions relating to the prescribing practice of individual boards should be addressed to the chief executive of the board concerned.

Diabetes

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with type 2 diabetes have had their access to testing strips for type 2 diabetes on prescription withdrawn in the last 12 months.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not centrally held.

  An evidence note published by NHS QIS in January 2009, suggests that for some people with type 2 diabetes, self-monitoring may lack significant benefit, with little, or no effect on people’s glycaemic control.

  We would however expect any change to a person’s self-management regimen, including home blood glucose monitoring, to be made in close consultation with the person concerned, and in line with the advice set out in SIGN Guideline 116 on the management of diabetes.

Energy Efficiency

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities offer council tax discounts for the installation of energy efficiency or microgeneration measures.

John Swinney: The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 places a duty on individual local authorities to introduce a discount scheme for council tax for those who make their homes more energy efficient. The Scottish Government has no formal role in overseeing the introduction of such schemes, but we have been working with COSLA, local authorities, the energy companies and some other interested parties to support implementation. From the latest information we hold, we understand that all 32 local authorities will each have a scheme in place for the start of the 2011-12 financial year.

  The Scottish Government also provided a small amount of funding to allow COSLA and the Improvement Service to commission a review of energy efficient council schemes in Scotland. The review has been completed and a copy of review report has been placed in Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51226). The report states that, as at the date of publication, 15 local authorities have a scheme in place, 11 have plans which are at an advanced stage and the six remaining authorities are planning to introduce schemes for the start of the 2011-12 financial year.

Energy Efficiency

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have received council tax discounts in 2010 for the installation of energy efficiency or micro-generation measures, broken down by local authority.

John Swinney: The information requested is not held centrally.

European Funding

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures will be used to identify disadvantaged areas in relation to the proposal contained in the draft 2011-12 budget to use the new £50 million Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas (JESSICA) Scotland Fund to target sustainable investment in the most disadvantaged areas.

Alex Neil: The JESSICA Scotland fund is part-funded by the European Commission through Priority 3 of the Lowland and Uplands Scotland European Regional Development Fund Programme; so can invest in integrated urban development plans in the 13 local authority areas that are eligible for support under that programme.

  These areas account for the highest share of population in the 15% most deprived data-zones, as measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. They also have the highest concentration of people not in education, employment or training.

European Funding

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the new £50 million Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas (JESSICA) Scotland Fund will be distributed between cities.

Alex Neil: There is no distribution formula between areas. Investment decisions will be taken by fund managers, based on the quality of investment propositions.

European Funding

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how projects with the potential to benefit from the new £50 million Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas (JESSICA) Scotland Fund will be identified.

Alex Neil: JESSICA investment is delivered to projects via Urban Development Funds (UDFs). The European Investment Bank is responsible for procuring the UDFs. Once established, UDFs will launch an open call for projects.

  The government administered a pre-call exercise over the summer. This sought expressions of interest and high-level information from potential project sponsors. This information will be shared with short-listed UDF bidders.

European Funding

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with local authorities regarding the distribution of the new £50 million Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas (JESSICA) Scotland Fund.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government will not take investment decisions and therefore has had no discussions with local authorities about the distribution of JESSICA funding.

  The Government has worked closely with local authorities during the development of the JESSICA funding model. COSLA, the Scottish Local Authorities Economic Development Group and individual local authorities were represented on a Steering Group that led on feasibility work and concluded that JESSICA would be a valuable funding tool to support the delivery of regeneration in Scotland.

European Funding

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who will determine what projects should benefit from the new £50 million Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas (JESSICA) Scotland Fund.

Alex Neil: Investment decisions will be made by Urban Development Fund managers, working with the European Investment Bank and JESSICA Investment Board.

European Funding

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidelines have been developed on the use of the new £50 million Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas (JESSICA) Scotland Fund and, if so, what those guidelines state.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has developed an investment strategy for the JESSICA Holding Fund, in conjunction with the European Investment Bank. This sets the context in which Scottish Urban Development Funds will operate. Once established, UDFs will agree detailed operational guidelines with the European Investment Bank and JESSICA Investment Board.

Ferry Services

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated costs are of establishing a ferry service between Lochboisdale and Mallaig.

Stewart Stevenson: It is not possible to provide the estimated costs of establishing a Lochboisdale-Mallaig ferry service in the absence of a detailed service specification for the route. A service specification would set out the timetable, the size and type of vessel(s) and the crew required. Harbour dues, fuel costs, other ancillary costs, anticipated revenue and the level of subsidy required to support the service would also need to be factored into the costs.

Finance

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated savings in 2010-11 and 2011-12 are for each of the measures listed as spending cuts on pages 15 and 16 of Scotland’s Spending Plans and Draft Budget 2011-12.

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is for each of the measures listed as priorities on pages 17 and 18 of Scotland’s Spending Plans and Draft Budget 2011-12.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s document Scotland’s Spending Plans and Draft Budget 2011-12, published on 17 November 2010, set a budget to address the financial challenge of a reduction of £1.3 billion in cash terms in 2011-12. In the document, the Scottish Government reaffirmed its fundamental strategic priorities, which are to:

  support economic recovery and deliver our purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth;

  protect the public services on which people depend and which are most effective in tackling deep seated problems and delivering real benefits and better outcomes for the people of Scotland, and

  establish a competitive advantage through the opportunities offered by taking action on climate change.

  Information about the measures taken by the government is set out throughout the draft budget document, including in the chapters on each government portfolio, and in the associated material published on 17 November.

  The Draft Budget 2011-12 is now subject to detailed scrutiny by parliamentary committees. This examination of the budget allows each committee the opportunity to take evidence from Cabinet Secretaries and ministers and invites them to respond to detailed questions on the priorities the Scottish Government has set and the measures it has put in place to address this unprecedented financial challenge.

Fire Service

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is per firefighter of providing training at the Scottish Fire Services College.

Fergus Ewing: Average costs for student training at the Scottish Fire Services College are calculated by dividing revenue costs by the average number of student weeks delivered or planned for the three years from 2008-09 to 2010-11, this gives a cost of:

  2008-09 - £706 per student week

  2009-10 - £955 per student week

  2010-11 - £831 per student week.

Forestry

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-37516 by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 November 2010, how decisions will be made on the future of the Scottish Forestry Commissioners.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Forestry Commission is a cross-border GB body that develops and delivers forestry policy on behalf of the Scottish, English and Welsh administrations. The statutory powers and duties of the commission are vested in the Forestry Commissioners. The future of the Forestry Commissioners will be a matter for discussion between Scottish, English and Welsh ministers.

Forestry

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-37516 by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 November 2010, by what mechanism the status and role of the Scottish Forestry Commissioners can be changed.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government may, by virtue of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act, seek, by order, to amend, transfer or delegate the functions of the Forestry Commissioners as they relate to Scotland. A proposal to abolish the Forestry Commissioners would require legislation at Westminster, and a Legislative Consent Motion, and we would expect such a proposal to be discussed and agreed by Scottish, English and Welsh ministers.

Forestry

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-37516 by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 November 2010, whether it sees a continuing role for the Scottish Forestry Commissioners.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has no plans to change the role of the Scottish Forestry Commissioners.

Gypsies/Travellers

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Housing and Communities last met representatives of the Gypsy/Traveller communities and what issues were discussed.

Alex Neil: The Minister for Housing and Communities last met with representatives of the Gypsy and Traveller Community on 17 November 2010. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss how best to ensure that some of the tensions that were evident in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire last summer would not be repeated in future. The meeting involved key stakeholders with an interest in improving community relations between Gypsies/Travellers and the settled community, and included Article 12. (Other participants included local MSPs, relevant local authority officials, COSLA, Grampian Police, the Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland, and the Equalities and Human Rights Commission).

Health

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the development of an integrative care approach for people with long-term conditions.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government fully supports the use of an integrative care approach for people living with long-term conditions. We have appointed a Lead Clinician for Integrative Care to take that approach forward as a key part of our work on the management of long-term conditions.

Health

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to implement an integrative care approach for people with long-term conditions.

Nicola Sturgeon: The insights and principles gathered through the development of an integrative care approach to long term conditions management have helped inform our Long Term Conditions Action Plan and our Quality Strategy, with their emphasis on person-centredness and compassion, and a holistic approach to people’s healthcare needs.

  Through the work of our Lead Clinician for Integrative Care, we have been supporting the use of people’s experiences and outcomes to develop Wellness Enhancement Learning (WEL) Programmes and staff training programmes that provide an integrative approach. More information on WEL can be found at www.thewel.org. One of our Lead Clinician’s specific objectives has been to produce an evaluation of the WEL programme for people with ME-CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), as a way of encouraging its wider availability.

  Our Long Term Conditions Action Plan includes a commitment to produce guidance on supporting people towards developing services that help promote people’s capacity for self-healing and recovery. Regular reports on progress with that action are provided to the Long Term Conditions Programme Board by our Lead Clinician for Integrative Care.

Health

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers homeopathy to fall within its definition of integrative care.

Nicola Sturgeon: There appears to be some confusion currently about the distinction between integrative care and homeopathy. It is therefore important to make clear that the concept of integrative care is broader than any specific therapy, and is not dependent on the employment of a specific therapy.

Health

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what alternative services are available to patients with scoliosis who cannot be treated by the national scoliosis service within the 12-week national standard.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are very few centres in the UK able to undertake specialised scoliosis surgery. The Scottish specialist spinal deformity service has made significant progress in reducing its overall waiting times, but there continue to be extended inpatient waiting times. It is not possible to offer the treatment elsewhere within the United Kingdom within a shorter wait. Average waiting times in specialist centres in England also extend beyond waiting time guarantees, and currently there is no capacity available within English NHS providers to accept referrals for patients from Scotland. We will therefore continue to focus on reducing waiting times in Scotland.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people attended NHS accident and emergency services as a result of falls in the winter of 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: While data on the overall number of attendances at Accident and Emergency Departments is available for the period, it is not possible to determine the reason for these attendances as this is not routinely collected for centrally held data.

  ISD is working with NHS boards to improve the central collection of data from all main accident and emergency departments in Scotland. This includes information on presenting complaint and "working diagnosis" which would allow this type of question to be answered in the future. A small number of hospitals have recently commenced submission of these data items, however, data is incomplete and is not suitable to answer this type of question at this stage.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people attended NHS accident and emergency services as a result of falls outside their homes in the winter of 2009-10.

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many orthopaedics-related attendances at accident and emergency departments there were in the winter of (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: While data on the overall number of attendances at Accident and Emergency Departments is available for the period, it is not possible to determine the reason for these attendances as this is not routinely collected for centrally held data.

  ISD is working with NHS boards to improve the central collection of data from all main accident and emergency departments. This includes information on presenting a complaint and "working diagnosis" which would allow this type of question to be answered in the future. A small number of hospitals have recently commenced submission of these data items, however, data is incomplete and is not suitable to answer this type of question at this stage.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many orthopaedics-related outpatient appointments there were in the winter of (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: Tables 1a and 1b show the number of orthopaedic consultant outpatient new   attendances for the months of November 2008 to February 2009 and November 2009 to February 2010 respectively, by NHS board of treatment.

  Table 1a: Number of Monthly Orthopaedic Consultant New Outpatient Attendances, November 2008 to February 2009; by NHS board of Treatment

  

NHS Heath Board of Treatment
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009


NHS Scotland
15,829
15,785
15,351
15,901


Ayrshire and Arran
1,391
1,497
1,356
1,309


Borders
280
419
363
311


Dumfries and Galloway
437
414
499
469


Fife
1,236
1,266
1,208
1,316


Forth Valley
976
831
822
912


Golden Jubilee National Hospital
77
108
105
141


Grampian
1,033
990
1,236
1,349


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
4,080
4,231
3,867
4,027


Highland
819
961
814
817


Lanarkshire
1,919
1,390
1,391
1,503


Lothian
2,029
1,969
2,076
2,078


Orkney Islands
21
27
27
-


Shetland Islands
85
37
73
27


Tayside
1,332
1,547
1,410
1,516


Western Isles
114
98
104
126



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR00.

  Table 1b: Number of Monthly Orthopaedic Consultant New Outpatient Attendances, November 2009 to February 2010; by NHS board of Treatment

  

NHS Heath Board of Treatment
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009


NHS Scotland
16,063
16,182
15,710
14,503


Ayrshire and Arran
1,311
1,435
1,453
1,080


Borders
378
432
391
433


Dumfries and Galloway
441
457
489
515


Fife
1,261
1,328
1,226
1,192


Forth Valley
841
812
835
755


Golden Jubilee National Hospital
66
-
10
26


Grampian
984
985
976
889


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
4,368
4,468
3,894
3,804


Highland
832
779
741
766


Lanarkshire
1,716
1,871
1,726
1,480


Lothian
2,070
2,029
2,160
1,952


Orkney Islands
31
11
37
21


Shetland Islands
65
32
31
15


Tayside
1,540
1,450
1,595
1,472


Western Isles
159
93
146
103



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR00.

Health

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of equity of access to innovative treatments for patients with rare diseases.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has not conducted an assessment of equity of access to innovative treatments for patients with rare diseases. There are longstanding commissioning arrangements to ensure patients are able to benefit from specialised services required for the treatment of rare and ultra-rare conditions. Access to this national resource is managed by the National Services Division (NSD) of NHS National Services Scotland, which commissions relevant treatment within NHSScotland or from highly specialised services across the UK or further afield in Europe, as and when it is required.

  Our aim for NHSScotland, as set out in our Healthcare Quality Strategy, is that it provides the best quality healthcare services to the people of Scotland through the delivery of person-centred, safe and effective care.

  Our ambition to deliver effective care includes providing the most appropriate treatments, interventions, support and services at the right time to every patient and eradicating wasteful and harmful variation in clinical practice. In undertaking their responsibility for the planning and provision of NHS services in their area, we expect NHS boards to focus on the quality of service they provide.

Health

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to improve access to innovative treatments for patients with rare diseases.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are longstanding commissioning arrangements to ensure patients are able to benefit from specialised services required for the treatment of rare and ultra-rare conditions. Access to this national resource is managed by the National Services Division (NSD) of NHS National Services Scotland, which commissions relevant treatment within NHSScotland or from highly specialised services across the UK or further afield in Europe, as and when it is required.

  The European Council published a recommendation on rare diseases in 2009 that proposes a national plan for rare diseases. The Scottish Government fully supports this recommendation and is working with officials from across the UK to explore the extent to which the UK meets the requirements of the Recommendation and to agree areas of possible collaboration and progress in the future.

  Our aim for NHSScotland, as set out in our Healthcare Quality Strategy, is that it provides the best quality healthcare services to the people of Scotland through the delivery of person-centred, safe and effective care.

  Our ambition to deliver effective care includes providing the most appropriate treatments, interventions, support and services at the right time to every patient and eradicating wasteful and harmful variation in clinical practice. In undertaking their responsibility for the planning and provision of NHS services in their area, we expect NHS boards to focus on the quality of service they provide.

Health

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the standards at Queen Margaret Hospital following the publication of its inspection report by the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate (HEI) inspection report on the Queen Margaret Hospital raised some serious issues and also identified some important areas of good practice. NHS Fife accepted the findings of the report and identified a series of actions to be taken which were outlined in its improvement plan that also detailed timescales for action. Unannounced follow up inspections will ensure improvements are made.

Health

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the standards at Stirling Royal Infirmary following the publication of its inspection report by the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate (HEI) report on Stirling Royal Infirmary raised some issues for attention and also identified some important areas of good practice. NHS Forth Valley accepted the findings of the report and identified a series of actions to be taken which were outlined in its improvement plan that also detailed timescales for action. Unannounced follow up inspections will ensure improvements are made.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue guidance to local authorities on borrowing in light of statistics suggesting that the housing debt of local authorities will rise by 12% to £2.4 billion by March 2011.

Alex Neil: Each local authority is under a statutory duty to determine and keep under review the maximum amount that it can afford to allocate to capital expenditure. In determining this amount, the local authority must have regard to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Prudential Code. The Prudential Code is a professional code of practice and requires that capital investment is prudent, affordable and sustainable. In relation to the Housing Revenue Account, the Prudential Code requires a local authority to consider the impact of borrowing on the level of rents and whether the level of borrowing is affordable and sustainable. Scottish Government monitors the level of individual and aggregate Housing Revenue Account (HRA) debt and Scottish ministers may consider issuing guidance if it were deemed to be necessary though there are currently no plans to issue such guidance.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason there was a 46% reduction in new build starts under the Affordable Housing Investment Programme in the third quarter of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009

Alex Neil: The main reason that new build starts in Q3 2009 were much higher than in Q3 2010 is due to a large number of council house building starts being recorded in Q3 2009 mainly resulting from Rounds 1 and 2. Lower levels of starts coincided with Q3 2010.

  However, we have only recently started recording starts in this way and there is only a short-time series over which to compare trends. Factors such as planning issues, infrastructure constraints and weather conditions can also affect starts on site and therefore there is not a uniform spread or pattern of starts.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has conducted research on the appeal of mid-market rented property in the social rented sector.

Alex Neil: Research specifically examining the appeal of mid-market rented property in the social rented sector has not been conducted by the Scottish Government to date. However, the current Communities Analytical Services business plan for 2010-11 includes a project on estimating demand for mid-market rent housing. This project is due to start shortly and be completed by the end of February 2011.

  There is no measure of demand for mid-market rent housing, but the local Housing Need and Demand Assessments submitted to date can be examined, since as part of these assessment process local authorities should have considered the role for mid-market / intermediate rented housing in their housing market areas. In addition, information on the take-up of existing mid-market rent properties will be examined as part of this study. Although the data sources are limited, it is hoped that this study will help increase understanding of the scale of demand of mid-market rented property in Scotland.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average mid-market rent is in the social rented sector, broken down by local authority.

Alex Neil: Properties for mid-market rent are generally not provided by landlords in the social rented sector. The great majority of properties for mid-market rent are provided by landlords in the private rented sector, through RSL subsidiaries.

  At present, the Scottish Government does not hold mid-market rent data at local authority or indeed national level.

  We only currently hold data relating to intermediate rented housing in the private rented sector that has been approved for government funding; we do not currently hold data on rent levels in the very limited amount of mid-market rent housing provided by local authorities.

  There are only a fairly small number of homes provided for mid-market rent at the moment, but that number is expected to increase over the next few years, through initiatives such as the National Housing Trust.

Influenza

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the uptake of the flu vaccination by older people who reside in care homes was in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009.

Shona Robison: Data is collected on uptake vaccine by all those aged 65 and over, but this data does not differentiate between those in care homes and those not. Individual care homes may keep records of residents who are vaccinated against seasonal flu however, this data is not collected centrally.

Justice

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people on community service orders have been drafted in to help with snow clearing.

Kenny MacAskill: Low-level offenders sentenced to unpaid work all around those areas of Scotland affected by the recent adverse weather conditions have been working hard as part of the clear-up efforts. Information is being placed within the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52182) today which shows the numbers of those on community service that have been undertaking this work. It shows that offenders have carried out 14,949 hours of work between 25 November 2010 and 8 December 2010.

Justice

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive who sits on the community payback order working group.

Kenny MacAskill: A number of key stakeholders are represented on the community payback order working group. These include the Association of Directors of Social Work, Community Justice Authorities, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the Scottish Court Service, the Scottish Legal Aid Board, the Law Society of Scotland, Sacro – representing the voluntary sector, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and JobCentrePlus.

Justice

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings of the community payback order working group have taken place.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action the community payback order working group is taking to monitor preparation for the introduction of the orders.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action the community payback order working group is taking to ensure that, once introduced, their operation is monitored.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action the community payback order working group is taking to ensure that, once introduced, their impact on reducing reoffending is monitored.

Kenny MacAskill: Since the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 received Royal Assent on 6 August, the community payback order (CPO) working group has met on four occasions. It will meet again on 13 December.

  At these meetings, the group has considered the impact of the introduction of the CPO on relevant partners, their capacity and readiness to deliver the CPO, and the procedures and processes that will be required to monitor the operation and impact of the CPO.

  The Scottish Government will provide a report to the Justice Committee on the preparations for the CPO, including the progress made by the working group, before the CPO provisions come into force on 1 February 2011.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-36670 by Kenny MacAskill on 25 October 2010, what further consideration it has given the commencement of each section of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010.

Kenny MacAskill: In addition to the provisions already in force (as listed in the answer to S3W-36670), further provisions within the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 came into force/will come into force as detailed in the following table.

  

Section / Schedule reference
Title of Provision
Date Cominginto Force
Any Other Comments


Section 14(1) (in part) and (2)
Community payback orders
1 February 2011
For all purposes apart from inserting section 227ZM into the 1995 Act


Section 14(1) (in part)
Community payback orders – annual reports on community payback orders
1 April 2011
For the purpose of inserting section 227ZM into the 1995 Act


Section 16
Short periods of detention
13 December 2010
For all purposes in respect of offences committed on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 17
Presumption against short periods of detention
1 February 2011
For all purposes in respect of offences committed on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 20
Reports about supervised persons
1 February 2011
 


Section 21
Detention of children convicted on indictment
1 February 2011
For all purposes in respect of offences committed on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 23
Extended sentences for certain sexual offences
13 December 2010
For all purposes in respect of offences committed on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 25
Offences aggravated by racial or religious prejudice
13 December 2010
For all purposes in respect of offences committed on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 26
Voluntary intoxication by alcohol: effect in sentencing
13 December 2010
For all purposes in respect of offences committed on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 28
Involvement in serious organised crime
13 December 2010
 


Section 29
Offences aggravated by connection with serious organised crime
13 December 2010
For all purposes in respect of offences committed on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 30
Directing serious organised crime
13 December 2010
 


Section 31
Failure to report serious organised crime
13 December 2010
 


Section 34
Articles banned in prison
13 December 2010
 


Section 37
Offensive weapons etc
13 December 2010
For all purposes in respect of offences committed on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 39
Offence of stalking
13 December 2010
 


Section 40
Certain sexual offences by non-natural persons
13 December 2010
 


Section 41
Indecent images of children
13 December 2010
 


Section 45
Penalties for offences of brothel-keeping and living on the earnings of prostitution
13 December 2010
For all purposes in respect of offences committed on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 56
Grant of warrants for execution by constables and police members of SCDEA
13 December 2010
 


Section 59
Bail conditions: remote monitoring requirements
13 December 2010
 


Section 60
Prosecution on indictment: Scottish Law Officers
13 December 2010
 


Section 64
Remand and committal of children and young persons
13 December 2010
 


Section 71
Convictions by courts in other EU Member States
13 December 2010
 


Section 80
Retention of samples etc. from children referred to children’s hearings
13 December 2010
Section 80 is commenced for the purpose of inserting the following provisions into the 1995 Act:—


(a) section 18E(6)


(b) section 18E(7)


(c) section 18E(10)


Section 83
Referrals from Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission: grounds for appeal
05 November 2010
 


Section 93
Lists of jurors
13 December 2010
 


Section 94
Upper age limit for jurors
10 January 2011
 


Section 95
Excusal from jury service
10 January 2011
 


Section 96
Persons excusable from jury service
10 January 2011
 


Section 99
Closure of premises associated with human exploitation etc.
13 December 2010
 


Section 101
Foreign travel orders
13 December 2010
 


Section 104
Risk of sexual harm orders: spent convictions
13 December 2010
 


Section 105
Obtaining information from outwith United Kingdom
13 December 2010
 


Section 111
Assistance for victim support
13 December 2010
 


Section 112
Public defence solicitors
13 December 2010
 


Section 113
Compensation for miscarriages of justice
13 December 2010
 


Section 114
Financial reporting orders
13 December 2010
 


Section 173
Licensing: powers of entry and inspection for civilian employees
13 December 2010
 


Section 178
Applications for licenses
28 February 2011
In so far as not already in force, for all purposes in respect of applications for the grant or renewal of licences under paragraph 1 of Schedule 1, or paragraph 6 of Schedule 2 to the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 made on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 180
Premises licence applications: notification requirements
13 December 2010
For all purposes in respect of premises licence applications made to a Licensing Board on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 181
Premises licence applications: modification of layout plans
13 December 2010
For all purposes in respect of premises licence applications made to a Licensing Board on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 182
Reviews of premises licences: notification of determinations
28 February 2011
For all purposes in respect of premises licence review proposals made by a Licensing Board under section 37(1) of the 2005 Act and all premises licence applications made to a Licensing Board on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 183
Premises licence applications: antisocial behaviour reports
13 December 2010
For all purposes in respect of premises licence applications made to a Licensing Board on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 184(1) and (2)
Premises licences: connected persons and interested parties
13 December 2010
Section 184(2) is commenced for the purposes of inserting the following provisions into the 2005 Act:- 


(a) section 40A(1), but not sub-paragraph (b)


(b) section 40A(2), but not the words "or an interested party" 


(c) section 40A(3) to (5)


Section 184(3)(a)(i)
 
 
Section 184(3)(a)(ii) is commenced for the purpose of inserting into the 2005 Act section 48(1)(c)(i) only


Section 184(3)(a)(ii)


Section 184(3)(b)


Section 185
Provisional premises licences: duration
13 December 2010
 


Section 187
Provision of copies of licences to chief constable
13 December 2010
For all purposes in respect of premises licence applications or an application under section 47(2) of the 2005 Act made to a Licensing Board on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 188(1) and (3)
Sale of alcohol to trade
13 December 2010
Section 188(3) is commenced for all purposes in respect of offences committed on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 192
Personal licences
13 December 2010
Sections 192(1) and (2) are commenced for all purposes in respect of applications for a personal licence under section 72(1) of the 2005 Act made to a Licensing Board on or after the date specified in column 3. Section 192(3) is commenced for all purposes in respect of all personal licences granted following an application that was made to a Licensing Board on or after the date specified in column 3. Section 192(4) is commenced for all purposes in respect of applications for a replacement personal licence received by a Licensing Board on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 193
Emergency closure orders
13 December 2010
 


Section 194
Appeals
13 December 2010
For all purposes in respect of decisions that may be appealed under section 131(1) of, and Schedule 5 to, the 2005 Act made by a Licensing Board on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 195
Liability for offences
13 December 2010
Section 195(2) is commenced for all purposes in respect of offences committed on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 195(3) is commenced for the purposes of inserting the following provisions into the 2005 Act in respect of offences committed on or after the date specified in column 3:—


(a)


section 141A


(b)


section 141B(1)(a)


(c)


section 141B(2) except the words "or, as the case may be, the interested party"


(d)


section 141B(3) except the words "or an interested party" and "as the case may be, the interested party"


(e)


section 141B(4) except the words "or the interested party"


(f)


section 141B(5)


Section 196
False statements in applications: offence
13 December 2010
For all purposes in respect of offences committed on or after the date specified in column 3


Section 198
Further modifications of the 2005 Act
13 December 2010
 


Section 199
Annual report on Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998
13 December 2010
 


Schedule 2
Community payback orders: consequential modifications
1 February 2011
For all purposes apart from bringing into force paragraph 38


Schedule 2
Community payback orders – amendment to the Jobseekers Act 1995
The day that section 25(2) of the Welfare Reform Act 2009 (c.24) (jobseekers allowance: sanctions for violent conduct etc. in connection wi claim) comes into force
For the purpose of bringing into force paragraph 38


Schedule 4
Convictions by courts in other EU Member States: modifications of enactments
13 December 2010
For all purposes in respect of offences committed on or after the date specified in column 3, apart from bringing into force paragraph 12


The following paragraphs of schedule 6:—
Further modifications of the 2005 Act
13 December 2010
 


1
 
 
 


3 to 6
 
 
Paragraphs 5 and 6(3) are commenced for all purposes in respect of applications for a premises licence under section 20 of the 2005 Act made to a Licensing Board on or after the date specified in column 3.


7
 
 
Paragraph 7 is commenced for all purposes in respect of applications for the transfer of a premises licence made to a Licensing Board on or after the date specified in column 3


8
 
 
Paragraph 8 is commenced for all purposes in respect of any notice of conviction given by a Licensing Board to the appropriate chief constable under section 44(2) of the 2005 Act on or after the date specified in column 3


11 to 16
 
 
Paragraph 11 is commenced for all purposes in respect of any notice given by a Licensing Board to the appropriate chief constable under section 69(1) of the 2005 Act on or after the date specified in column 3


Paragraph 12 is commenced for all purposes in respect of any notice given by a Licensing Board to the appropriate chief constable under section 73(1) of the 2005 Act in respect of an application for a personal licence made on or after the date specified in column 3


Paragraphs 13 to 15 are commenced for all purposes in respect of applications for a personal licence under section 72 of the 2005 Act made on or after the date specified in column 3


 


18
 
 
Paragraph 18 is commenced for all purposes in respect of applications for occasional licences made to a Licensing Board on or after the date specified in column 3


The following paragraphs of schedule 7:—
Modifications of enactments
 
 


4
 
13 December 2010
 


5
 
13 December 2010
 


13
 
13 December 2010
 


48
 
10 January 2011
 


49
 
13 December 2010
 


86
 
13 December 2010
 



  For those provisions that have not been included in a commencement order yet, decisions about commencement will be taken shortly.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders received a custodial sentence of three months or less in 2009-10, broken down by (a) main offence and (b) police force area and what proportion of all crimes this represents.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of those convicted for an offence with a domestic aggravator received a custodial sentence of three months or less in 2009-10, broken down by (a) police force area and (b) main crime.

Kenny MacAskill: This information will not be available until publication of the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2009-10 Statistical Bulletin . This is due to be published on 25 January 2011.

  The dates of all Scottish Government Official and National Statistics publications are pre-announced, and the up to date list of future publications can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Search/Forthcoming.

Mental Health

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will discuss with the relevant bodies the implications of An Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington for (a) support services and (b) employment services for people with mental health problems and other impairments.

Alex Neil: The recommendations contained in Professor Harrington’s review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) go a substantial way to addressing the concerns raised by stakeholders. Any implications are a matter for the Department for Work and Pensions. The Scottish Government welcomes the recommendations made in the review that will help make the WCA fairer. My officials will continue to monitor developments from the implementation of the review of the WCA and will also continue to work with employability service providers and other partners to assess any impact on those who want to work.

Minimum Wage

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimated number of people earns the minimum wage or less in the Dundee (a) West and (b) East parliamentary constituency.

John Swinney: The preferred source for earnings estimates is the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics.

  Due to the size of the sample in the ASHE it is not possible to provide estimates for the number of people earning the minimum wage or less in Dundee West or Dundee East parliamentary constituencies. It is also not possible to provide an estimate for the Dundee City local authority area.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-36992 by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 November 2010, whether it plans to achieve the proposed 25% reduction in senior managers in the NHS by the non-filling of vacancies.

Nicola Sturgeon: It is for individual health boards to determine how they will achieve the target having regard to the guidance to boards, which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52181).

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-36992 by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 November 2010, what criteria will apply in determining which posts will go in the proposed 25% reduction in senior managers in the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: The criteria that will apply in determining which posts will go in the proposed 25% reduction in senior managers in the NHS is set out in the guidance issued to boards which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52181).

NHS Staff

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many interpreters and translators, including those providing a telephone service, are employed on a full-time basis by NHSScotland, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally as data on the number of interpreters and translators employed by NHSScotland are not captured separately in the workforce statistics.

NHS Staff

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many interpreters and translators NHSScotland employs on a freelance basis, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.

Police

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications for local authorities will be in the event that police officer numbers fall below 17,234 at any point in 2011-12.

John Swinney: Maintaining police officer numbers at least 17,234 is one element of the 2011-12 funding package agreed by Scottish Government and COSLA’s Leadership and currently being considered by councils. To secure the full funding package, councils are required to agree to all the elements of the package, including that on police officer numbers. A process of verification for the various commitments during 2011-12 will be discussed and agreed between the Scottish Government and COSLA so that agreed arrangements can be in place by the start of the financial year. Local government’s performance in delivering on the commitments will of course ultimately be a key factor in assessing the level of the local government settlement in the next spending review, for 2012-13 and later years.

Procurement

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much paper has been used by public sector bodies in each year since 2007.

John Swinney: Procurement Scotland, part of the Scottish Government’s Procurement Directorate, has in place a national agreement for paper accessible by all public sector bodies. Since the agreement commenced on 1 September 2008 some 8 million reams of paper have been purchased by 172 public bodies and 721 charities, housing associations and registered social landlords: 640,000 reams in 2008, 3.9 million reams in 2009 and 3.3 million reams to date in 2010. Prior to the introduction of the national contract this information was not collected centrally: equivalent data for 2007 is not therefore readily available.

Public Appointments

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of remuneration is proposed for the (a) national convener and (b) board members of the national body proposed in the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Bill.

Adam Ingram: This information is not available at present. Remuneration will, however, be in line with Public Sector Pay Policy Guidance for Senior Appointments, which is available on the Scottish Government website. A link to the 2010-11 guidance is attached: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/04/27100002/0 .

  I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and a copy will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52172).

Public Transport

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated costs are of providing free access to public transport throughout Scotland for deafblind people and their companions, broken down by mode.

Stewart Stevenson: This level of information cannot be supplied as the local authority card management system does not have the functionality to record the number of National Entitlement Cards issued specifically to deafblind applicants.

Racism

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34777 by Fergus Ewing on 21 July 2010, whether it considers that the conviction of Mohammed Sandia for posting anti-Semitic material on The Scotsman website is sufficient evidence that anti-Semitic graffiti at Glenduffhill Jewish cemetery was not an isolated incident.

Fergus Ewing: We are aware of the recently reported conviction of an individual, following the posting of comments on newspaper websites. We are not aware of any connection between this incident and the incident referred to in S3W-34777.

  However, the Scottish Government takes any incidents of anti-Semitic behaviour as of the utmost gravity whether these are isolated incidents or not. We condemn and abhor anti-Semitic views and anti-Semitic behaviour. We continue to work productively with the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities and others and through this we can achieve the aspiration of One Scotland of many cultures, faiths and beliefs.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to recent developments in the field of osmotic power generation.

Jim Mather: Although the Scottish Government is aware of some of the international activity taking place with regard to osmotic power generation, no specific consideration has been given to development in Scotland. The focus of the Scottish Government and its agencies has been on the commercial development of wave and tidal energy given Scotland’s unique resource and significant level of market interest in this sector.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken research into the potential advantages and disadvantages of deploying osmotic power generating facilities and, if so, with what result.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has not undertaken any specific research on the potential advantages of deploying osmotic power generating facilities.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an assessment has been made of Scotland’s osmotic power generation potential and, if so, with what result.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is not aware of any work that has been undertaken to assess Scotland’s potential for osmotic power generation.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it has made available to organisations or individuals looking to develop osmotic power generation techniques or facilities.

Jim Mather: Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise offer a range of research and development and investment support and this would potentially be available to businesses looking to develop osmotic power techniques or facilities in Scotland. These agencies would be willing to engage with any potential developers interested in taking forward activity in Scotland. Should this technology emerge as a commercial proposition the Scottish Government would consider options for eligibility through the Renewables Obligation.

Social Work

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the criminal justice social work statistical bulletin will next be published.

Kenny MacAskill: Criminal Justice Social Work Statistics 2009-10 will be published on 21 December 2010. This National Statistics bulletin presents information on community sentence and other aspects of criminal justice social work in Scotland. This year, the bulletin will present new data on the number of orders, and the number of breaches and terminations in 2009-10.

  The dates of all Scottish Government Official and National Statistics publications are pre-announced, and the up to date list of future publications can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Search/Forthcoming.

Taxation

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would have cost to prepare a state of readiness for the Scottish variable rate in 2007-08.

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would have cost to prepare a state of readiness for the Scottish variable rate in 2008-09.

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would have cost to prepare a state of readiness for the Scottish variable rate in 2009-10.

John Swinney: As I indicated to the Parliament during the debate on the Scottish Variable Rate (SVR) on 24 November, following the election in May 2007 I was told that the earliest tax year in which the SVR could be introduced reliably was 2009-10, at a cost of £2.9 million for IT infrastructure work. I was also offered the option of paying £3.4 million (excluding contingency) to prepare the SVR IT systems for use in tax year 2008-09, but I was warned that there was a material risk that the systems might not be delivered on time and would not operate reliably, and that as a result of these risks potential tax income of between £10 million and £26 million could remain uncollected. Were a decision to be taken not to invoke the SVR it was recommended that IT infrastructure work costing around £1.2 million be undertaken to ensure the SVR 10 month state of readiness was available to the following parliament.

  I was further briefed that, were we to decide to exercise the power to vary the Scottish tax rate, there would be additional, non-IT, costs associated with introducing and operating the SVR. These non-IT costs would include £6 million for implementation activities (contact centres, project management) and £4 million annually thereafter for post-implementation costs (network/operations).

  This Administration decided in 2007 not to exercise the power to vary the Scottish tax rate, and sought to secure the maintenance of the SVR capability for the next parliament at the lowest cost to the taxpayer. The Scottish Executive in 1999 and 2003 had made the same decision. In the event the cost associated with re-establishing a 10-month, state of readiness with effect from May 2011 rose to £7 million and we were asked to commit this sum in August 2010, 20 months before the beginning of the first tax year in which the power could be exercised. Officials asked HMRC for meetings to discuss the issue and the costs associated for a number of months but received no response until the Secretary of State’s intervention.